Machete Kills
2013 · Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Original language: English
- action
- crime
- thriller
The story
Ex-Federale agent Machete is recruited by the President of the United States for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man – he must take down a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war and anarchy across the planet.
What it’s like
Saturated, grindhouse-bright color: sun-bleached Mexican streets, dusty border towns, and a glossy, over-lit Washington that looks like a studio fantasy, all shot in a deliberately scratched, pulpy digital style with exaggerated lens flares and garish reds and oranges. The camera is restless and kinetic in the brawls, with quick cuts and crash zooms, then lingers on sweaty, ridiculous set pieces. The score is a throbbing synth-and-guitar mix that jumps between cheesy Western strums and retro electronic pulse, and the sound design is loud, punchy and cartoonish. The vibe is loud, campy and tongue-in-cheek: a rowdy Friday night with friends, or a sugary, popcorn-fuelled midnight watch. The pacing is relentless, with one absurd escalation after another and little breathing room, and the tone stays knowingly winking rather than grim. Violence is frequent and cartoonishly gory, with dismemberments, gunfire and explosions played for laughs, plus crude sexual humour, profanity and some nudity; it is not gentle. It suits viewers who want over-the-top genre excess and a wink at B-movie tradition, not subtle drama.
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